Criminalization of same-sex sexual relations, sex work, drug possession and use, and HIV exposure, non-disclosure and transmission have been shown to block HIV service access and increase HIV risk.
Countries that criminalize key populations saw less progress towards HIV testing and treatment targets over the past five years-with significantly lower percentages of people living with HIV knowing their HIV status and achieving viral suppression than in countries that avoided criminalization. Even greater gains were achieved in countries where laws have advanced human rights protections, particularly those that protected rights to non-discrimination and responded to gender-based violence. Despite this compelling evidence, discriminatory and punitive laws remain alarmingly common.
